Two-way handle for hat boxes



J. H. PLOTKIN 2,745,524

May 15, 1956 IN VEN TOR. /%%z@ United States Patent 2,745,524 Two-wrist H A ND 'LizFoRHAT Boxes JosepFH; Plotkiii; "Chicago, 111., "assignorto oshkbsh Trunks and'Lugg'age 'Cm, a'corporation of Illinois" A neation Kp'ril 1's, 153;SeriaINo. 343,912

3 Claims. (Cl. 190-57) This invention relates to hand-luggage, and more part'icularlyto'li gg'ag'e' of the type classified as ladies hat boxes." The i i pre emeiaredm fises 'a'ladys hat box having a novel 'carryiiig' -lia idl'e'c'dii s'triiction.

Ladies hat boxe sfa's presently made, are of generally circnlarconstruction havinga relatively deep 'bo dyjportion and a relatively shallow lid portion. The lid portion is sometimes hinged to the body portion, the hinge being mounted on a flattened area of the side wall.

The carrying-handles presently in use on ladies hat boxes are usually positioned on the side wall of the hat box at a point diametrically opposite to a flattened area in the side wall which serves as a base portion when the hat box stands on its side. In those hat boxes wherein the carrying-handle is so situated, they are carried only in this position.

The hat boxes with which this invention is concerned are capable of use in carrying hats having a relatively wide brim, such as picture hats. However, a picture hat should not be carried in a hat box in the position required by a box having a handle only on the side wall. Such positioning of the hat can only result in the rolling and curling of the hat brim. In picture hats, an improvidently rolled brim is very undesirable, and must be prevented. This can be accomplished by carrying the hat in a flat position.

Womens hat boxes are used not only for the carrying of picture hats, but are used to carry the smaller type of hat which can be safely carried on edge, as well as casual luggage pieces. In this type of use, it is much more convenient to carry the hat box with the handle attached to the side wall thereof, either as a short strap or as an over-the-shoulder strap.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a carrying-handle construction for use in a hat box in which a single handle may be employed to carry the box either with the lid uppermost or with the side wall uppermost, the latter position being accomplished with the strap positioned in two different arrangements.

A further object is to provide a carrying-handle construction in which a carrying means is attached to a portion of the hat box in such a manner as will permit its being positioned for use as a side wall carrying-handle or a top carrying-handle.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a hat box standing on the side wall, with the handle construction positioned for carrying the box in that position from a short strap,

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the hat box showing the handle disconnected from the position of Fig. 1 and extended toward a second carrying position,

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation showing the hat box resting on its bottom and with the carrying-handle in the top carrying position,

2 ingon the fiattened fibrtioh "of tlie' siae wan a'nd 'Wiifi the canyin'g handle "in the sliouldef-s'frap' position, and

As shown in the drawings; the hat box comprises a bottom panel, not shown, a substantially:cylindrical sidewall 11 and a fiattop 12', the top 12 being hinged as at "1310 the side Wall 11-, afid otherwise joined thereto by' ahtiulelss fastenerl t.

""Thesid'e wall '11 is fia'tt'er'iedafijaerit are edge; person of the top 1250 as fd define a5 panetperfion 15, Which is in turn fitted witha pl'ufiality of cleats' 16 upon wh'iclf the hat b'e'x'm'ay rest in its standin position.

The carrying-handle constructioncom rise'sastrap 17 whiclf'niay be permanently attached fo the I o'opi' fitting 18 as shown at'id 'extefids 't'hrou'g'hfihe loopfitti ft g I9. I: will be sen' t-hat the fittings-1s and-I9 are inmates in vertical aligIrmen'ton a' fportionef the side oppositefr'om "the panel portion 15. The strap 17 has ifiofifi-ted onit's opposite 'efid tlje Teinale button 20 e the eerie-spending rasrebnsmirzoaef a snap' rastenefeem Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing the hat box restbination. An additional male member 21 is mounted on the side wall 11 between the loop fitting 18 and the loop fitting 19. Another male member 22 is mounted on the panel 15. The male members 20a, 21 and 22 are adapted to cooperate with the female member 20 of the snap fastener combination.

The loop fittings 18 and 19 are detailed in Fig. 5, as an example of the type of construction used in this embodiment of the invention. As shown in Fig. 5 the loop fitting has a mounting plate 23 which supports a pair of end members 24 between which is suspended a cross-bar 25. In the case of the loop fitting 18 the strap 17 is looped around the bar 25 and attached to itself as shown. In the case of the loop fitting 19, the strap 17 passes between the mounting plate 23 and the bar 25.

In the position shown in Fig. l, the strap 17 is attached to the loop fitting 18, extends through the loop fitting 19, back upon itself in a large loop and through the loop fitting 18 a distance such as to permit the engagement of the snap fastener combination 20-21.

To change the handle-construction over to the use shown in Fig. 3, the snap fastener combination 2021 is opened. The strap 17 is pulled out from its engagement through the loop fitting 18, passed over the top 12, as shown in Fig. 2, and then the snap fastener combination 2022 is engaged. This permits carrying the hat box 10 in the position shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 4 the strap 17 is shown having the snap fastener combination 2020a engaged, with the resulting loop encircling the bar 25 of the loop fitting 19. In this position, the hat box 10 may be carried with the strap 17 over the shoulder.

Having described my invention what I desire to protect by Letters Patent and claim is:

1. In a hat box having an enclosure-defining body of side wall means, top and bottom, the provision of a carrying-handle structure comprising a pair of vertically spaced and alined anchor-loop fittings mounted on said side wall means between said top and bottom, a strap attached at its one end to one of said fittings and extending through the other of said fittings, a fastener mounted on the other end of said strap, a first fastener-mating element mounted on said side wall means between said fittings for selectively coacting with said fastener with said strap looped back on itself from said other fitting and threaded through said one fitting, and a second fastener mating element on a part of said side wall means substantially diametrically opposite to said fittings for coacting with the fastener mounted on said strap with said strap looped across said top of said box.

2. A carrying-handle construction for hand luggage having a topya bottom, and side wall means with first and second spaced apart generally opposite side wall portions, said handle construction comprising a lower loop fitting, an upper loop fitting, both of said fittings being mounted in spaced-vertical alignment on said first side wall portion, a strap attached at its one end *to one of said fittings, first fastener means mounted on the other end of said strap, cooperative fastener means mounted on said first side wall portion between and in vertical alignmenttwith said loop fittings for selective engagement with said first fastener means with said strap doubled back around the other of said fittings and threaded through said one fitting, and cooperative fastener means mounted on said second side wall portion for selective engagement with said first fastener means with said strap extending over said top, whereby the loose end of said strap may be fastened to the first side wall portion or to the second side wall portion.

' one end attached to said lower loop fitting, a fastener mounted on the other end of said strap, a mating fastener t 4 1 element mounted on said strap adjacent said other end for selectively coacting with said fastener with said other end of said strap doubled back around said upper loop fitting, a second mating fastener element mounted on said first side wall portion between and in vertical alinement with said loop fittings for selectively coacting with said fastener with said strap looped back on itself around said upper loop fitting and with "saidouter end of said strap threaded through said lower loop fitting, a third mating fastener element mounted on said second side wall portion for selectively coacting with said fastener on said strap with said strap extending through said upper loop fitting and over said top, said fastener being selectively engageable with any one of said mating fastener ele- 'ments.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 1,733,787 Gamble Oct. 29, 1929 2,542,246 Grosz Feb. 20, 1951 2,550,199 Moss Apr. 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 626,278 Great Britain July 12, 1949 

